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CTullis - 5 A - The Victorian Novel and Utilitarianism View task. Mr Bouderby questions
by CTullis - (2012-05-22)
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  • List all the words and phrases describing MR. Bounderby.
Man perfectly devoid of sentiment, rich man, banker, merchant, manufacturer, big loud man with a stare and a metallic laugh, man made out of a coarse material, He had not much hair, swelled veins in his temples and such a strained skin to his face that it seemed to hold his eyes open, and lift his eyebrows up, man with a pervading appearance on him of being inflated like a balloon and ready to start, a self-made man, brassy speaking-trumpet of a voice of his old ignorance and his old poverty, Bully of humility, Mr. Bounderby looked older, man with a great puffed head and forehead.

  • Ring the four phrases which explicitly convey the narrator's opinion of MR. Bounderby and find in a dictionary adjectives with the same meaning.
Man perfectly devoid of sentiment = a cold person
A man with a pervading appearance = self confident
A man who was the Bully of humility = false
A big loud man = noisy

  • Now go back to the list you made for exercise 1. Which of the other items on it are connected with one or more of the author's comments?
He is devoid of sentiment, he is made of coarse stretched material, he is a bully of humility.

  • The surname of the character contains the word "bounder" on purpose. Look it up in the dictionary, which of the phrases you have listed reinforces the meaning of the surname?
Bounder: a dishonourable man.

The phrase I have listed which reinforces this meaning is: "A man who was the Bully of humility."
  • Mr Bounderby is described as coming from a poor family, without education and self-made. In other contexts these attributes might represent him as worthy of sympathy and or admiration. Why aren't they here?
Because Mr. Bouderby is described as an unpleasant person who believe in himself and devoid of sentiment. Furthermore now Mr. Bouderby is rich and doesn't care about other people: he is a Bully of humility.
  • Now go on reading and see if what Bounderby says is consistent with the description of his character.
What mr, Bouderby says is consistent with his description because we understand that he has an high idea of himself, he is very self confident and he talks only about himself without letting Mrs. Gradgrind speak. He is also a self made man because he was able to change his poor condition.

  • Which aspect or aspects of Bounderby's character is or are empathized in what he says?
The aspect that are empathized are: Mr. Bouderby is very self confident and he is a self made man.

  • Does what he say confirm or modify his portrait?
What he says totally confirm his portrait.

  • Consider how MR Bounderby speaks:
• underline any repetition of pronounce words or sentences in the extract
• how would you define his way of talking? See how does his way of talking fit in with his character as described by the narrator.

"I...I...I", "ditch...ditch", "I was determined... I have been determined", "I was born with inflammation ...that was capable of inflammation"

I define his way of talking very self centred. Mr. Bouderby talking about his past poor condition creates a grotesque effect (for example when he talks about his birth in a ditch). This highlight the negative judgement that Dickens has about him.